Uviversal coupling



(ND MOdOlf R. S. BROWN. UUVBRSAL GUUPLING.

No. 48L78 Patented Aug. 30. 1892 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.,

AssioNoR or' ONE- UNIVERSAL COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 481,780, dated August 30, 1892.

Application tiled May 20, 1892. Serial No. 433.758. fNo model.)

T LZZ whom it may concern:

I Se it known that I, ROBERT S. llnowN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Britain, iu the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and Improved Universal Coupling. of whicn the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements inv universal shaft-couplings; and the objects of to my improvement are simplicity of construction and general eilicicncy, especially in providing acou'pling that may be used between two shafts which are out ot' alignment'.

in the accompanying drawings, Figure l is i5 a. side elevation of my coupling, partly in section, and Fig. fl is an end or face view of parts thereof.

My coupling is especially designed for use between two machines or two parts of a shaft zo that are liable to work out of alignment-as, for instance, between a steam-engine and a dynamo.

A designates a head, preferalily in disk-like form and having` on one face a circular socket 3, extending transversely to its axis, while its opposite sides are provided. with a suitable hub et or means for connecting it with any desirable shaft. A similar head ll is on the other side1 of the coupling, one side of 3o which is provided with a like transverse socket Il, the saine as in the head before dc scribed,said socket being circular in the transverse section and open on one side from end to end. Instead ofconnccting this head ll directly to the shaft or hub I secure it to the disk or sub-head C by means of bolts 5 andl with a sheet of insulating material S between said disk and head and around the bolts, said` disk or sub-head being provided with a hub G 4o or any ordinary devices for attachment to a shaft. ',lhis insulation, however, will bc used only in connection with a dynamo or analogous uses, and if my coupling is to be used otherwise the head li may bc provided with a.

hub for connecting it directly to the shaft. I prefer t0 employ thc .sub-head whether used with an insulator or not, as itcuablcs the coupling to bc removed from theshafts without moving:r the shafts themselves.

5o llctwccn thc heads 'A and il is a middle head l), havingr transverse ribsor projections 7, extending transversely to the axis of said head andl at right angles to each other. These ribs or projections in transverse section are mainly cylindrical, but connected to the body ot the middle head by a narrow neck, so that they maybe slipped ondwise into the sockets of the heads and be free to move longitudinally therein, while the neck beingnarrowerthan the open inouthof the socket per- 6o mits them to have a rocking: motion within said socket, as on a hinge. 'ihe form of this socket and rib in cnil view is best shown at the middle portion ol' Fig. l.

In use my invention will permit of a rock- 6s ingonotion of the heads A ll upon thc middle hea'll), so that 'the coupling may be used upon ,shafts which moet cach other at an anglef` At thc saine time the sliding motion of the ribs or projections 7 within the socket` 7o 3 will permit the coupling to be used between two shafts whose confronting ends are in different planes.

Thilo l have described the sockets as formed upon the heads A and llof the trausversc ribs or projections on the opposiiosides of the middle head D, it is evident that the operation would be the saine if tlie position of the parts were reversed, and such reversal is considered an obvious variation.

-I ain aware that a prior patent shows a coupling,r consisting of two heads with a middle head between, the saine being jointed, so as to rock transversely, but without any provision for a sliding motion of'the ribs within S5 the sockets, and 1 hereby disclani'tlie same.

I claim as luy invent-ion-V 1. The herein-described n nivcrsal coupling, consisting of the heads A and il, each provided with transverse sockets of a circular 9o form in cross-section, and themiddle head I), provided with transverse ribs or projections fitted in said sockets and lcl't free to move 'longitudinally therein and also to rock, as on I a hinge, suhst-antit'illy as described, and for 95 thc purpose spi-cilicd.

2. In'a universal coupling, the sockethead ll, adapted to be coupled to a companion head on a dilferent shaft, the sub-head C for connecting said socket-head with its shaft, and lo@ im insfdiating fnferil 8, interpoed between verse ribs or projections .'tted in said sockets, said hea@ and sdb-head, substantially as-desubstantially as described, and for the pui-4 scribed, and for the purpose speciied. pose specified.

3. Aceuplingcbnsisting of the heads A :tnd ROBERT S. BROWN. 5 B, having transverse-sockets, a sub-head' fr Witnesses: l v

connecting one of said heads with a shaft, FREDK. A. iAssE'rTE,

and the middle head D, provided with trans- STEPHENQI; LAWRENCE. 

